Reverend G. Dennis Gill, who serves as Rector of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and Director of the Office for Divine Worship for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, will lead the 29th annual Blessing of the Nativity Scene. The ceremony will take place outside on the lawn in front of the Cathedral Basilica at 18th and Race Streets in Philadelphia on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

The event is organized each year by the Christmas Crèche Committee with sponsorship from both the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Knights of Columbus. Students from Saint Francis Xavier Parish Elementary School in Fairmount are scheduled to perform traditional Christmas carols during the gathering. The event is open to all members of the public.

For more information about sponsoring organizations, details can be found at aoh.com for the Ancient Order of Hibernians and kofc.org for the Knights of Columbus.